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Fans of Saudi Arabia celebrate their team's 2-1 victory over Argentina in a World Cup group C soccer match, outside the Lusail Stadium in Lusail Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) Argentina soccer fans watch the team lose to Saudi Arabia at a World Cup Group C soccer match played in Qatar, on a large screen set up for fans in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos, Aires, Argentina, early Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) ” The sign said it all. Hwang Hee-chan got the message.A young South Korea fan held up a sign that read œOne More Goal during halftime of the team™s match against Portugal on Friday at the World Cup. The teams were even at 1-1 at the time, but the South Koreans needed another goal to earn a spot in the round of 16. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” Louis van Gaal leaned to his left, wrapped his arm around Denzel Dumfries, and planted a kiss on the player's cheek.Dumfries probably deserved even more smooches from his coach on Saturday after leading the Netherlands into the World Cup quarterfinals with a goal and two assists in the 3-1 victory over the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” The sign said it all. Hwang Hee-chan got the message.A young South Korea fan held up a sign that read œOne More Goal during halftime of the team™s match against Portugal on Friday at the World Cup. The teams were even at 1-1 at the time, but the South Koreans needed another goal to earn a spot in the round of 16. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AL WAKRAH, Qatar (AP) ” Australian soccer may have a new golden generation.Mathew Leckie scored and the Socceroos beat Denmark 1-0 Wednesday to advance to the round of 16 at the World Cup for only the second time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Shohei Ohtani is doing things no other player has ever done, a point of pride for Japanese like Fumihiro Fujisawa.Fujisawa is the president of the Association of American Baseball Research ” similar in Japan to SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research. So he knows the numbers. But he has trouble recognizing Ohtani, who is built like a tight end in American football. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Japan supporters clean the stands at the end of the World Cup group E soccer match between Germany and Japan, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. Japan won 2-1.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Japan supporters clean the stands at the end of the World Cup group E soccer match between Germany and Japan, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. Japan won 2-1.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) ” Ibrahim Al-Ghanim, a former Qatar national soccer team defender, was dressed like thousands of other local men as he rushed to his seat through a main foyer at Al Bayt Stadium.He wore the traditional thobe ” the long-sleeve, floor-length white robe ” and came to celebrate Qatar's national team on Tuesday in its final match at the World Cup. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Fans of Saudi Arabia celebrate their team's 2-1 victory over Argentina in a World Cup group C soccer match, outside the Lusail Stadium in Lusail Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) Argentina soccer fans watch the team lose to Saudi Arabia at a World Cup Group C soccer match played in Qatar, on a large screen set up for fans in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos, Aires, Argentina, early Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AL WAKRAH, Qatar (AP) ” Australia advanced to the round of 16 at the World Cup, beating favored Denmark 1-0 Wednesday on Mathew Leckie™s 60th-minute goal.It is Australia's first time in the knockout stage since 2006, the only other time they advanced out of the group stage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

South Korea's Son Heung-min reacts during the World Cup group H soccer match between Uruguay and South Korea, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan , Qatar, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) South Korea's Son Heung-min, right, discusses with referee Clement Turpin during the World Cup group H soccer match between Uruguay and South Korea, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan , Qatar, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AL WAKRAH, Qatar (AP) ” Australia advanced to the round of 16 at the World Cup, beating favored Denmark 1-0 Wednesday on Mathew Leckie™s 60th-minute goal.It is Australia's first time in the knockout stage since 2006, the only other time they advanced out of the group stage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” How big was Japan's 2-1 upset of Germany in the opening round of the World Cup?Newspapers in Japan used the term œDaikimboshi from sumo wrestling to describe the magnitude of the surprise: when a low-ranked wrestler overpowers a grand champion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” In Japan's fourth appearance in the round of 16 at the World Cup, the team was knocked out for the fourth time. The Japanese lost to Croatia in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. The Croats won the shootout 3-1.Japan also reached the round of 16 in 2002, 2010 and four years ago in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashita agrees with Pel© or whoever it was decades ago that first described soccer as the œbeautiful game.Yamashita is one of three women picked by FIFA to be referees at the men's World Cup in Qatar, which opens on Nov. 21. It's the first time a woman will be in charge on soccer's largest stage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An athlete competes during the boulder semi-final of the IFSC Climbing World Cup Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. After Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi joined a growing list of female athletes who have been targeted by their governments for defying authoritarian policies or acting out against bullying, a number of others have spoken out on their concerns of politics crossing into their sporting world. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Brooke Raboutou of the U.S. speaks after participating in the women's lead semi-final of the IFSC Climbing World Cup Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. After Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi joined a growing list of female athletes who have been targeted by their governments for defying authoritarian policies or acting out against bullying, a number of others have spoken out on their concerns of politics crossing into their sporting world. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” Japan defender Yuto Nakatomo has told his teammates they'll need to show œsamurai spirit in Monday's round-of-16 match against Croatia at the World Cup.And they'll need another quality that Nakatomo learned playing for almost a decade in Italy, mostly with Inter Milan. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

South Korea's Son Heung-min reacts during the World Cup group H soccer match between Uruguay and South Korea, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan , Qatar, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) South Korea's Son Heung-min, right, discusses with referee Clement Turpin during the World Cup group H soccer match between Uruguay and South Korea, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan , Qatar, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) ” South Korea and Uruguay started their World Cup campaigns with a 0-0 draw on Thursday, a result that probably favors the Asian team.The draw at Education City Stadium was yet another early World Cup match with the favored team stumbling. Argentina and Germany both lost their opening matches in major upsets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” The final price tag for last year's COVID-delayed Tokyo Olympics was put at $13 billion (1.4 trillion Japanese yen), the organizing committee said Tuesday in its final act before it is dissolved at the end of the month.The cost was twice what was forecast in 2013 when Tokyo was awarded the Games. However, the final price tag presented by organizers is lower than the $15.4 billion they predicted when the Olympics ended just under 11 months ago. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) ” Essentially written off after being battered by Spain, Keysher Fuller has changed everything for Costa Rica.Fuller took advantage of a defensive error and scored the only goal of the match to lead his team over Japan 1-0 Sunday at the World Cup. Both teams now have three points after two matches and a good chance to advance to the round of 16 from Group E. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” Japan defender Yuto Nakatomo has told his teammates they'll need to show œsamurai spirit in Monday's round-of-16 match against Croatia at the World Cup.And they'll need another quality that Nakatomo learned playing for almost a decade in Italy, mostly with Inter Milan. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” Problems with FIFA™s mobile application for World Cup tickets caused hundreds of fans to miss the start of England's match against Iran on Monday.Fans said their tickets had disappeared from their phone apps and lines began to form outside the Khalifa International Stadium about an hour before the 4 p.m. kickoff in Doha. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” The Netherlands is on the verge of reaching the knockout stage at the World Cup and an overwhelming favorite in its final Group A match on Tuesday against host nation Qatar.If the Dutch advance it will put more focus on 71-year-old coach Louis van Gaal, who stepped out of retirement just over a year ago to take over the national team while being treated for aggressive prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Brazil defeated Japan 1-0 in a friendly Monday thanks to a penalty by Neymar in the 77th minute after he was tripped in the box on a rainy night at Tokyo's new National Stadium.It was Neymar's 74th goal for the national team, leaving him three short of matching the record held by Pele. He also scored two penalties last week in a 5-1 victory over South Korea as Brazil tested itself on an Asian tour against two teams who qualified for the World Cup. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” South Korea lost in the round of 16 of the World Cup and then lost its coach.The team was beaten by five-time champion Brazil 4-1 on Monday. After the match, South Korea coach Paulo Bento announced that he was stepping down to end his four-year stint. The Portuguese coach said he made the decision several months ago. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Even with 1.4 billion people, China can™t find 11 solid soccer players.China is missing out on the World Cup again despite spending millions ” probably billions ” to develop the game, a reported priority of Xi Jinping, the all-powerful general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Brazil defeated Japan 1-0 in a friendly Monday thanks to a penalty by Neymar in the 77th minute after he was tripped in the box on a rainy night at Tokyo's new National Stadium.It was Neymar's 74th goal for the national team, leaving him three short of matching the record held by Pele. He also scored two penalties last week in a 5-1 victory over South Korea as Brazil tested itself on an Asian tour against two teams who qualified for the World Cup. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Sapporo officials and the Japanese Olympic Committee are œreviewing the promotion of their bid to land the 2030 Winter Games, news agency Kyodo reported Tuesday.Kyodo gave few details and neither Sapporo officials nor the Japanese Olympic Committee could be immediately reached for comment. Kyodo did not indicate that officials had entirely scrapped the bid. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Brazil coach Tite has had the full four-year cycle to prepare for this year's World Cup in Qatar, unlike 2018 in Russia when he took over in the middle of the cycle after Dunga was fired.Fresh from beating South Korea 5-1 on Thursday in Seoul, Brazil faces Japan on Monday in an international friendly in Tokyo. Brazil has not lost since falling 1-0 against Argentina in the Copa America final almost a year ago. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Brazil defeated Japan 1-0 in a friendly Monday thanks to a penalty by Neymar in the 77th minute after he was tripped in the box on a rainy night at Tokyo's new National Stadium.It was Neymar's 74th goal for the national team, leaving him three short of matching the record held by Pele. He also scored two penalties last week in a 5-1 victory over South Korea as Brazil tested itself on an Asian tour against two teams who qualified for the World Cup. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) ” Keysher Fuller scored in the 81st minute to lift Costa Rica to a 1-0 victory over Japan on Sunday, leaving both teams with three points after two games in Group E of the World Cup.Fuller took advantage of a defensive error when Japan failed to clear the ball and hit the net from 18 meters just off the fingertips of leaping Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashita agrees with Pel© or whoever it was decades ago that first described soccer as the œbeautiful game.Yamashita is one of three women picked by FIFA to be referees at the men's World Cup in Qatar, which opens on Nov. 21. It's the first time a woman will be in charge on soccer's largest stage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Keegan Bradley of the United States reacts after putting on the fourth hole during the final round of the Zozo Championship golf tournament at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022 in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi) Keegan Bradley of the United States hits his tee shot on the fifth hole during the final round of the Zozo Championship golf tournament at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022 in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

FILE - Then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears as the Nintendo game character Super Mario during the closing ceremony at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Aug. 21, 2016. Despite his fame as a Japan's longest serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe might have had enjoyed his biggest moment at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro. (Yu Nakajima/Kyodo News via AP, File) FILE - Japanese then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, and former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, right, with other delegates, celebrate after Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, in Buenos Aires, Argentine on Sept. 7, 2013. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the country™s central figure in landing the 2020 Olympics for Tokyo. Abe died after being shot while campaigning in western Japan on July 8, 2022. (Kyodo News via AP, File) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Brazil coach Tite has had the full four-year cycle to prepare for this year's World Cup in Qatar, unlike 2018 in Russia when he took over in the middle of the cycle after Dunga was fired.Fresh from beating South Korea 5-1 on Thursday in Seoul, Brazil faces Japan on Monday in an international friendly in Tokyo. Brazil has not lost since falling 1-0 against Argentina in the Copa America final almost a year ago. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates with his team after winning the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. Verstappen secured second consecutive Formula One drivers' championship. (AP Photo/Toru Hanai) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates after winning the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. Verstappen secured second consecutive Formula One drivers' championship. (AP Photo/Toru Hanai) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Argentina arguably has the World Cup's most fervent fans, known for their rhythmical singing, incessant drumming and trance-like ferocity.The country's history of success at the World Cup ” champions in 1978 and 1986, and runners-up three times ” is rivaled by few. This fervor will only grow as Lionel Messi leads Argentina against defending champion France in Sunday's final in Qatar. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” The cost of the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics is 20% higher than organizers said when they announced officials figures more than a year ago, according to a report by the Board of Audit of Japan.The report, which was released this week, said there was a lack of full disclosure and transparency on the part of the government and the organizing committee. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

FILE - Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, hits from the sixth tee during their singles match at the Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sept. 25, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. Former Masters champion Matsuyama said on Tuesday, Oct. 11, that he believes players who left to play on the Saudi-funded league known as LIV Golf may be entitled to earn ranking points.(AP Photo/Julio Cortez) INZAI CITY, Japan (AP) ” The players who left to compete in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series should be entitled to earn ranking points, former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama said Tuesday. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” How big was Japan's 2-1 upset of Germany in the opening round of the World Cup?Newspapers in Japan used the term œDaikimboshi from sumo wrestling to describe the magnitude of the surprise: when a low-ranked wrestler overpowers a grand champion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DOHA, Qatar (AP) ” The Netherlands is on the verge of reaching the knockout stage at the World Cup and an overwhelming favorite in its final Group A match on Tuesday against host nation Qatar.If the Dutch advance it will put more focus on 71-year-old coach Louis van Gaal, who stepped out of retirement just over a year ago to take over the national team while being treated for aggressive prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SUZUKA, Japan (AP) ” Red Bull driver Max Verstappen clinched his second consecutive Formula One drivers™ title by winning the Japanese Grand Prix in the rain at Suzuka on Sunday. Verstappen has been dominant all season and claimed the title with four races remaining. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SUZUKA, Japan (AP) ” Red Bull driver Max Verstappen clinched his second consecutive Formula One drivers™ title by winning the Japanese Grand Prix in the rain at Suzuka on Sunday. Verstappen has been dominant all season and claimed the title with four races remaining. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands smiles after the qualifying session of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands drinks after the qualifying session of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Eileen Gu, the California-born athlete who won two gold medals for China in freestyle skiing at the recent Beijing Olympics, has signed on to work for Salt Lake City's bid for the 2030 or 2034 Winter Olympics.Tom Kelly, a spokesman for the bid committee, confirmed Gu's participation to The Associated Press on Tuesday as an œathlete representative." Gu made the announcement earlier at the Time100 Summit, calling herself an œambassador. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Japan completed naming its 30-man roster on Thursday for the World Baseball Classic, which includes outfielders Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals and Masataka Yoshida of the Boston Red Sox.Nootbaar has a Japanese mother but grew up in California and does not speak Japanese. He is the first to play for Japan in the WBC who qualifies because of his ancestry. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

INZAI CITY, Japan (AP) ” It was worth the trip to Japan for Keegan Bradley, who won the Zozo Championship on Sunday with a final-round 2-under 68 to finish one shot ahead Rickie Fowler and Andrew Putnam for his first PGA Tour win in just over four years.Bradley raised both arms to the sky and was tearing up after clinching the victory with a tap-in on the 18th. Thirty minutes later, he was still choking back tears. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SUZUKA, Japan (AP) ” The governing body of Formula One has put off until Monday a ruling on whether some teams may have exceeded a spending cap.The contentious issue comes as Red Bull, whose driver Max Verstappen won the title last year, could win another championship on Sunday at the Japanese Grand Prix. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TOKYO (AP) ” Saying it is one thing, but doing it is another.Japan soccer coach Hajime Moriyasu repeated his aim again for the World Cup. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]